What’s he packing, besides a parka, snowshoes and a smile? His trusty laptop. That’s right: Scotty B kicks video Big VJ-style with a notebook. And so can you, with the right coach – and the right laptop.

SB’s Tip #1: If you’re planning to run video on a Mac it’s best to run with a MacBook Pro vs a MacBook: MacBook Pro allocates memory on a separate chip dedicated to refreshing the screen; this helps prevent screen freezes, and helps the overall processing of your Mac.

SB’s Tip # 2: As for size, terabyte hard drives are super affordable right now, so be smart and buy a second drive to back up your media. All it takes is for your main hard drive to be stolen, dropped or crash to render you video-less. A backup drive at your gigs will also give you peace of mind. And think about transport (USB, FW800, eSATA) speed when buying your hard drive: the faster the file gets to your computer the less the software has to work to gather/buffer the video.

PO: Internal or External?

For BEST performance, keep ALL media OFF your system hard drive.

SB’s Tip # 3: You’ll thank me for this -- especially if you scratch, do tricks, or typically listen to a few songs before you choose one to play: You don’t want your media files on the same hard drive that’s busy processing your computer’s operating system, etc. That being said, if you still insist on an internal drive think about swapping out your laptop’s CD drive for more hard drive space. Here is a great option for Macs: http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/

SB’s Tip # 4: Many of the new MIDI controllers like Hercules, Pioneer and Allen & Heath now come with great sound cards.

PO: Cables?

GOOD: RCA (composite) BETTER: S-Video/DVI OUTRAGEOUS: HDMI out

SB’s Tip # 5: Good cables can make all of the difference in the world, especially when it comes to video. A good cable will filter out static and noise from AC outlets and cell phones. Go with Monster Cables as a standard.

PO: A good laptop VJ is well prepared and organized, which requires the proper labeling of his video files with Title, Artist, BPM and any other notes required. Best ID3 tag editor?

SB’s Tip # 6: Don't forget most of us already have a great ID3 editor – iTunes.

Get the drop on a laptop today and you could go… all… the… way!
Look for DJ Scotty B at NASCAR Speed Week, the Daytona 500 pre-race party, Le Mans 12 Hours of Sebring, at club gigs in Atlanta, Tampa and Charlotte, and every Saturday night on New York's B91. Visit DJ Scotty B at
www.djscottyb.com.

They're ba-ack! After some years on our ‘No Longer Available' list we've just relicensed and remastered the top videos of 2007 into one must-have collection of the year's top pop, hip-hop, dance and rock releases.

Got requests? Your feedback on what video content you need for your venue/events is not only appreciated but very important to our programmers. Please email us at Throwbacks@PromoOnly.com to request older material and at VideoRequests@PromoOnly.com for newer releases you feel are relevant.

For more information on our Hot Video Classics and Specialty dvds, call 407-331-3600 or click here to email Customer Service today!

Let’s be honest: Some DJ controllers are too big. Others are too small, too hard to understand or go too easy on features. It’s hard to find a controller that nails the middle ground most DJs need -- that gets it just right.

Or not.

Pioneer’s new DDJ-S1 DJ controller manages to find that sweet spot in spades. By combining the plug-and-play convenience of Serato ITCH with Pioneer’s renowned reputation for quality, and throwing in a few innovative touches such as a dock that lets you park your laptop under the S1 for easier viewing, Pioneer has taken aim squarely at serious pros and space-conscious mobile DJs alike.

Here’s some key features you need to know about…

* It’s big, but not too big. This is a substantial controller that looks the part, but will fit well in an all-digital small club and in the most Spartan of mobile rigs.

* Its needle strip search function may be borrowed from the Numark NS7, but Pioneer has raised the ante and reduced the footprint of the S1 by including an Alphabet Search feature that allows for quick track location while your laptop’s keyboard sets safely out of the way below.

Flashback to Paris where a oui-sized Slick found himself on the receiving end of formal training on a variety of classical instruments before coming to the guitar, and Miami, in the late ‘80s to land a gig playing bass for Island Records pop/alt singer Arlan. Laurent recorded a fistful of songs for Arlan's second album, giving him the op to collaborate with legendary producer Tom Dowd, and setting the stage for a successful studio career of his own.

More recently, Laurent has enjoyed success producing the Nelly song “Giving Her the Grind” ft. Sean Paul on the album 5.0. Other recent production credits include two songs on Lil Wayne’s rock-tinged album Rebirth; Birdman’s “Southside” ft. Lil Wayne (released as an iTunes single, and later remixed for the album Priceless); the Plies hit “Family Straight” on Da Realist; and co-production creds on tracks with Grammy-winning producer Infamous, including “Kobe Bryant,” Lil Wayne’s tribute to the Lakers player for the 2009 NBA playoffs and a four-to-the-floor pop rocker slated for Flo Rida’s upcoming album Only One Rida (Part 2).

Not content to spend all his time in the studio, Laurent is also an accomplished product designer, with credits that include products for Native Instruments and Stanton, where he led the Final Scratch development team. Final Scratch, commercially released in 2001, featured the first DJ-interface vinyl and CD control of digital audio files on a computer -- no small feat.

In late 2008, Laurent founded Mixware, a boutique distribution company dedicated to importing high quality DJ and audio gear. Today, Mixware is the exclusive US distributor for several European brands including UDG, Reloop, and Decksaver. He also recently acquired the Electrix brand, renowned for the Repeater, the first multi-channel looping sampler with automatic synchronization.

Success Coach Stacy Zemon is back this month to help your business steer clear of financial trouble…

With some subscription services actively going after those who pirate their product – and collecting almost $800k in fines last year alone – now’s the time to get up to speed on the dos and don’ts of the DJ biz.

“Understanding the risk of sharing your music with others, even others that work for you, can prevent you from making a costly mistake that could get you fined by record labels, music subscription services, and the RIAA.”

For a look at ALL the pitfalls that could put your business in jeopardy click here...

For ideas, info and career advice from a host of renowned DJ industry experts, visit ProMobileDJ.com, the Portal to the Disc Jockey Business today!

Click HERE to join Pro Mobile DJ Club and get LOTS of valuable FREE resources to manage and grow your company!

When it comes to mixing video on an iPhone, there haven’t been a lot of options to choose from, until now. iVJ has come up with a basic, but nifty little app that address the basic needs of VJing nicely, providing you with a fully functioning A/B video mixer in the palm of your hand.

Functions include…

Preview Window: A full-color preview displayDirect Multi-Touch Controls: D’oh. It’s an iPhone app.Text Input Box: Live full motion text overlay generated from real-time inputSeekBar: Advanced or reverse through track time line, including the ability to loop.PLAY/PAUSE: Play and stop selected track.Output to Projector: Via Apple Composite AV Cable.Output to 2 screens simultaneously: Nice.Speed Control: You can change the video speed (Pitch) with slider control. (The speed range is 0%~200%).

Will iVJ replace your laptop? Of course not, at least not in this early version. Will it let you go on with the show even if you’re making a run to the bar? We intend to find out…
Available from the Apple store today for $2.99.

Often fans will acquire an item that their favorite star once owned. Here are a few of the more outrageous examples:

WHAT GALL! Barton Lidice Benes, noted celebrity-relic collector, was a fan of J.R. Ewing (Larry Hagman)-- the cutthroat yet charming baron from the TV series Dallas. Demonstrating his continued devotion, Benes had one of Hagman's gallstones placed in a setting, creating a handsome ring.

ENTERPRISING BARBER: Elvis Presley's personal hair stylist, Homer Gilleland, so loved the King that he saved a fist-size ball of Presley's hair clippings. He later gave them away to an industrious friend who put them up for auction. Starting bid? $10,000!

PRIME SUCKER: If you prefer presidential memorabilia, a half-sucked throat lozenge from President Bill Clinton might fit the bill.

HEADS, YOU LOSE: Following Sir Walter Raleigh's beheading in 1618, his wife was presented with his embalmed head. She kept it for 29 years, and upon her death, the rotting heirloom was inherited by the couple's son Carew. The head was buried with Carew in 1666.

EINSTEIN'S COMPUTER: Albert Einstein was one smart cookie. So it comes as no surprise that after his death in 1955, his brain was retained for examination to see what made it so far above average. Sliced into 240 sections for distribution, Einstein's gray matter was compared against other brains and found to be some 15 percent wider than the norm. Today, the bulk of Einstein's brain rests at Princeton Hospital in New Jersey.

PRETENTIOUS PEE: In Nov 1996, a souvenir-hunting art dealer saw a grand opportunity. While dining at a celebrity-filled Los Angeles bistro, the man happened upon Sylvester Stallone in the men's room. Noticing that the muscular star had neglected to flush his urinal, the man leaped into action. He hastily emptied a pill bottle and scooped out a few ounces of Sly's "essence".

A LEG UP ON THE COMPETITION: Some people save their own body parts as souvenirs. Such was the case with Union General Daniel Sickles. After having his right leg amputated after the Battle of Gettysburg, the unfazed warrior donated the limb to the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, DC. Reportedly, the enterprising officer escorted lady friends to see the relic, regaling them with tales of his bravery.

PINT-SIZED PHALLUS: Although the cause of Napoleon Bonaparte's May 1821 death is still open to debate, a certain part of his anatomy is thought to have been removed during his autopsy. Yes, THAT part! A priest by the name of Ange Vignali is said to have taken home the souvenir. In 1916, Vignali's heirs sold the item. The pint-sized appendage (approximately one inch in length) has since gotten around--perhaps even more than the famed general's life -- and it currently resides with an American urologist.

PROUD APPENDAGE: The "Mad Monk" Rasputin is said to have left behind more than his legacy after being murdered in 1916. Tales of his castration have circulated since his death, and his surviving body part is purported to be of uncommon size. In 2004, the Russian mystic's alleged organ was placed on display at a St. Petersburg museum. "We can stop envying America, where Napoleon Bonaparte's is now kept," bragged the museum about their massive find. "Napoleon's is but a small 'pod''; it cannot stand comparison to our organ of 30 centimeters (11.8 inches)."